Chlorpyrifos has been proved to cause
neurocognitive deficits, especially in children and the unborn, even when
farmers use the pesticide according to guidelines. Exposure to Chlorpyrifos has
been linked to statistically higher rates of respiratory issues, nausea, skin
and eye irritation, and neurocognitive problems such as increased rates of
adhd, lowered IQ, and even autism-like symptoms, with children, babies, and the
unborn being the most vulnerable to illnesses (*important: please read the note
on autism link below). [citation: every single study at the end of this doc]

*Regarding link to autism:
Due to current anti-vaxxer ignorance, I want to be very clear on the difference between a pesticide being “the cause
of autism” and being “linked to higher rates of autism”; the latter is
acknowledged as being certain. There are no credible scientists I could find
searching google scholar who will state that there is one, specific cause for
autism, so we are avoiding the words “the cause” and following the lead of
published scientists who use this phrase: “linked to higher rates of autism.”
This phrasing does not state causation and it also does not state that there is
a singular, specific cause for autism. It does, however, relay the fact that
exposure to pesticides leads to an affected community with significantly higher
rates of autism and/or autism-like symptoms than non-exposed populations. This
raises a red flag in terms of potential hazards to human health and should be
immediately researched further to eliminate the possibility that the increased
rates of autism documented by scientists may be directly or indirectly caused
by this pesticide. However, we do not know enough to use the words “causes
autism.” Please use the phrase “linked to increased rates of
autism-like symptoms” and avoid the word “causes”. This can prevent opponents
from attempting to discredit us through our semantics. We encourage others to
read academic studies regarding the link to autism and to share any titles and
articles that can expand our understanding with everyone in the ecosoc working
group on Slack.

3. On Current Compliance Regarding
Use of Chlorpyrifos

The
pesticide Chlorpyrifos was banned for household use due to neurotoxicity back
in the year 2000, but the ag industry continues to use it on their crops in
large amounts, and, frequently, the recommended usage guidelines are not
adhered to, according to a survey on California fieldworkers; 41.1% of CA
fieldworkers were not told when pesticides were being sprayed and 41.3% of
fieldworkers were not provided with signs declaring that an area had been
sprayed and when it would be safe to enter that area again. 57% of farmworkers
were given any kind of pesticide safety training, leaving 43% of the
farmworkers with zero knowledge of pesticide safety procedures (see: Arcury TA,
Quandt SA, Austin CK, Preisser J, Cabrera LF. Implementationof EPA’s Worker
Protection Standard Training for agricultural laborers: an evaluation using
North Carolina data. Public Health Rep. 1999;114:459-68)

On Previously Scheduled Perma-Ban and Trump’s Overturning of
that Decision

During the
last year of the Obama admin, the gov ruled to permanently ban all uses of
chlorpyrifos, to be eliminated completely in 2019. As soon as Trump took
office, he overturned that and chlorpyrifos is still in use. Here is a link to
a PBS Newshour video on youtube regarding the original slated ban and trump’s
reversal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4BTsnRdKPo

On the OG’s of the Perma-Ban
Movement: CAPS et al.

I am in
communication with the Coalition
Advocating for Pesticide Safety (CAPS) based in the Tulare/Exeter area.
They have been on this issue for years now and have provided a great amount of
information and opportunities to support the perma-ban. They have done great
work for many years to protect fieldworkers from pesticide-related illnesses.
Our aim as DSA is to provide additional support to their movement and to
educate Fresno on the issues our fieldworkers face and how to support
fieldworker safety by perma-banning chlorpyrifos. We can best support the
movement by following CAPS’ lead and rallying our own city of Fresno to engage
in the dialogue as well.

UPDATES: 12.16.18

Earlier this
year, I traveled with CAPS to Sacramento to meet with reps for legislatures and
to speak with reps from the EPA to request that they ban or suspend
chlorpyrifos immediately. The EPA later scheduled a public hearing event for
discussing the possibility of banning chlorpyrifos.

In November,
I (Maya) traveled to Sacramento to the EPA building for a public hearing
regarding a potential ban of chlorpyrifos with CAPS to speak at a public
hearing. I was chosen as one of 3 from the central valley and 1 of 9 for the
extended area of CA that also included members of CPR (Californians for
Pesticide Reform). I spoke about the
CHAMACOS longitudinal study by UC Berkeley and I am still making a video
compilation of speakers to share. After the last speaker with our group went,
we did a direct action where people unfurled a large banner in the middle of
the public hearing, chanted no mas chlorpyrifos! (no more chlorpyrifos), held
up mini protest signs, and marched out of the public hearing chanting. They
escorted us out of the building and the police were called (we were
non-violent, fyi). Days later, the EPA announced they’d add “more
recommendations” to the pesticide, despite knowing full well that several
studies showed farmers rarely follow the bare minimum steps listed on the
pesticide already, and the likelihood that they would enact additional steps is
highly unlikely.

These
actions were organized by CAPS and CPR, and I was the one rep of DSA, although
there are 3 other DSA-Fresno people who came to meetings and gave great ideas
and resources, I was the only one available to travel those dates. We support
and boost the message of CAPS whenever we can! They do great work and they just
opened up an office in the central valley!

Videos of the November trip to
Sacramento to speak on the ban with protest: